Fohhn’s award-winning Linea Focus series, with beam steering capabilities, is now equipped for networking via an Optocore fibre solution. A SANE-FX module is mounted directly inside the Linea Focus housing, enabling direct fibre connection to the speaker.
The Linea Focus series is often used in combination with the security and evacuation system (PAVA), for instance in railway stations, airports, tunnels and theatres. As the Optocore fibre network is a modern IT-based ‘copper free’ audio infrastructure, it fulfils all demands in this area, thus greatly simplifying installation in respect of security, weight and flame-retardant design.
Speaking of the collaboration, Fohnn CEO, Jochen Schwarz said: “For some time now, our ongoing aim has been to achieve multi-channel digital connectivity for our speaker systems and compatibility to any major digital audio network. Within the context of recent projects, which involved integrating our speakers into alarm systems, we were looking for a digital fibre solution that allowed for long distance cabling between our devices as well as fire safety and interference free transmission of audio signals.
“We finally opted for an Optocore solution: Using a ring-shaped cable configuration to connect all the devices in an Optocore network not only reduces the cabling requirement and its associated costs, it also greatly improves overall reliability. Furthermore, within the network, you get an even latency.”
In terms of security a fibre optic cable is much more difficult to spy on, while in terms of safety for IT control, it offers lossless, long distance connection, with electrical isolation. As for weight, a fibre optic cable is around 10 times lighter than a traditional 100V ELA cable, around 12 times lighter than a CAT5 cable, and around 100 times lighter than a regular copper snake / multicore. Furthermore, it is far easier to make a flame retardant fibre cable than a copper one, since copper melts at much lower temperatures. Besides, a similarly-rated fibre optic cable is available for a fraction of the price of copper. These advantages, together with the exceptionally low price of an Optocore module, result in much lower installation cost and a much higher performance, with IP integrated workflow, software routing capabilities, ultra low audio latency and redundancy switch-over, much faster than the required 1ms for advanced security designs.
Summing, up Jochen Schwarz said: “Apart from the advantages mentioned above, the Optocore extensions for Linea Focus provide excellent audio quality as well as full control of the speaker system and allow for reliable, redundant digital audio networking. We appreciate the cooperation with an innovation-driven company such as Optocore. Thanks to them, our electronically steerable Beam Steering systems can now be integrated into and used within a digital network.”
